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See the full story · 3 sourcesFlorida police are on the hunt for the suspects who have allegedly hit cemeteries as far northeast as Buffalo, New York
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Three suspected tomb raiders have been accused of stealing heirlooms left in cemeteries in at least nine states, according to the cops.
Police are on the hunt for Drake Lee Milam, 33, his girlfriend Porsche Bancroft, 32, and her mother, Angela Garrett, 52, after they allegedly broke into niches containing cremated remains and loved ones’ valuables across the eastern U.S.
“Imagine losing your wife or husband and placing their wedding ring, and yours, in the niche – only to have them stolen by thieves looking for an easy payday,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida said in a Facebook post Wednesday.
There are 20 cases against the trio in Florida, “but detectives believe there could be many more,” the sheriff’s office said.
“They’ve been everywhere from Oklahoma City to Minnesota to Texas, here in Florida, they visited Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina, even so far northeast as Buffalo, New York,” Corporal Cole Brazee from the sheriff’s office said in a video attached to Wednesday’s post.
Milam, Bancroft and Garrett, who are from Indianapolis , all have warrants for their arrest that would extradite them to Florida to face charges.
The sheriff’s office told The Independent in a statement Friday that the trio committed multiple violations across multiple Florida counties in March and April, including removing contents of a grave or tomb and grand theft.
More than $35,000 was stolen across all 20 cases in Florida, the sheriff’s office said in the new statement.
“What a horrible person you are if you decide to steal from the dead,” Brazee said in Wednesday’s video. “Their loved ones will leave some jewelry that meant something to them in that niche with their remains.”
Brazee said the trio could be anywhere in the eastern U.S. and asked the public for help finding them.
“If you see them, if you know who they are, you know where they are, please call Crimeline and turn them in,” Brazee said.
The Central Florida Crimeline is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. The tip line can be called at 800-423-8477.
Authorities also advise anyone with a loved one in a niche to ensure their heirlooms are safe and to call the cops if anything is missing.
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